Words To Live By

There are a number of things that light me up like a Christmas tree. Holiday displays of ingratitude from the younger set top the list. Like this fabulous, wooden advent calendar I got to specially delight the Dynamic Duo. “Delight” accurately describes their reaction the first day. I tucked two miniature ornaments – one for each kiddo – behind the Day 1 door.

By today -- day 3, mind you --  the only word to accurately convey their reaction is brewing-for-a-fight. The Dynamic Duo can make anything into a competition, including who gets the better mini ornament from the advent calendar.

This was not exactly the sentiment I had in mind when I bought the darn thing. The holidays bring a lot of excitement and expectation. I get it. What’s a kid to do if not wrestle her sister into submission over an ornament the size of a tack?

The holidays can make even good kids go bad in the manners department. Adults too. Full disclosure: one year, in a stunning display of immaturity, I threw away the holiday gift my fella got me. In full sight of my fella. That’s how mad I was when I opened the c.d. package and found: Bing Crosby’s “Holiday Hits”.

Perhaps we all could use a tutorial about gratitude. One that’s not preachy, heavy-handed or time consuming. Maybe one in the form of a picture book so that it speaks to everyone in the family?

Something like “The Secret Of Saying Thanks” is just the ticket. This story shares the idea that there’s one, important secret in life and that is: “the heart that gives thanks is a happy one… for we cannot feel thankful and unhappy at the same time.”

Okay. Mind officially blown. So true. So easy to remember. I wish I could sew because if I could I would totally embroider this on a pillow -- heck, every pillow -- in my house. It’s that profound. I’m ordering this book pronto from amazon, express delivery, so that we can read it a bunch of times before Christmas rolls around. Bring on the Bing Crosby! (Click this link to learn more about the book on amazon.com where it's available for around $12.)